Carbo loading?

[Trevize1138]

I'm not sure what to make of some nutritional information I'm reading up about at some sites. According to a couple sites I found, for 90 minutes of mountain biking a day I should try to get in some 500-700 grams of carbs daily.

Currently, I figure I'm getting 200-300, and I think my diet is reasonably carb-rich. To get that extra 200-300 grams of carbs a day I'd have to eat up to 6 Power Bars! If I do this, how will I not balloon up to 500 lbs in the next year? :confused:

[jaybird]

The trick question is are you going to do 90 minutes of biking every single day? That means either mountain biking, or some equal form of exercise, everyday. Most of the information I've read for training would say: One, that's training too much - you need low intensity and complete recovery days. Two, the carb requirements of 500-700 is on the high side.

I've got some training materials at home - mostly roadie training. I'll repost tonight with some updates.

[zerpy]

I'm not sure what to make of some nutritional information I'm reading up about at some sites. According to a couple sites I found, for 90 minutes of mountain biking a day I should try to get in some 500-700 grams of carbs daily.

Currently, I figure I'm getting 200-300, and I think my diet is reasonably carb-rich. To get that extra 200-300 grams of carbs a day I'd have to eat up to 6 Power Bars! If I do this, how will I not balloon up to 500 lbs in the next year? :confused:

I think you would balloon right on up! Sounds like junk science to me.

[GearDaddy]

Check out this article posted on CNN.com today:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/04/19/post.workout.meal.ap/index.html

Personally, I eat more carbs than you can shake a stick at, i.e. cereal, fruit, and lots of PB sandwiches! I'm getting older though, so "riding off" the extra calories is getting harder. But I do eat Sherbet instead of ice cream (that's my secret!).

[bradpartyka]

Eat some of the carbs after biking. That way there used to repair muscle and not go to fat. A good spaghetti meatball dinner... Or Spaghetti Alfredo topped with Shrimp for less fat... yumm... I guess I am hungry!!! :scream:

700 grams does sound pretty extreme though...

[Brick]

This month's edition of Silent Sports has a really applicable nutrition article comparing high-protien and high-carb diets, and explains the benefits/limitations of each.

http://www.silentsports.net/lose_weight__not_energy.html

"4.5-5 grams of carb per kilo of body weight per day on a calorie reduced diet"

for 700 grams of carb intake your weight would have to be 140 kg....I'll let you do the math.....

[Trevize1138]

Thanks for the link, Brick!

That makes much more sense. Currently I figured I'm getting anywhere from 150-250 carbs daily depending on if I'm biking or not. Looks like I'll need to get at least 350 or more each day on the Maah Daah Hey. But, I was also thinking that since right now my goal is twofold (weight loss and conditioning) that I can ease up a bit on the carbs and let my body convert some of that fat to energy until the weight gets down more.

[Brick]

Thanks for the link, Brick!
No worries!! :cool:

But, I was also thinking that since right now my goal is twofold (weight loss and conditioning) that I can ease up a bit on the carbs and let my body convert some of that fat to energy until the weight gets down more.
Reduce is good, but don't forget to take in some carbs sortly after a long ride--it helps the body replenish its stores, and you'll need to be doing that on the fly out on the trail.

There was an article a while back in the on-line edition of The Master Skier (I think) that recommended using or witholding carbs based on long-term goals and outcomes. If your goal is weight loss, by witholding carbs, it forces your body to burn fat to replenish its stores. If your goal is endurance, by consusming carbs during and immediately after a workout, you are training your body to process carbs into energy on the fly, which in the case of a ski marathon or an extended cross county ride is desireable.

Hell, maybe it's snake-oil but it works for me.

Have a bannana...:banana::banana:....or two.

[Trevize1138]

No worries!! :cool:


Reduce is good, but don't forget to take in some carbs sortly after a long ride--it helps the body replenish its stores, and you'll need to be doing that on the fly out on the trail.

There was an article a while back in the on-line edition of The Master Skier (I think) that recommended using or witholding carbs based on long-term goals and outcomes. If your goal is weight loss, by witholding carbs, it forces your body to burn fat to replenish its stores. If your goal is endurance, by consusming carbs during and immediately after a workout, you are training your body to process carbs into energy on the fly, which in the case of a ski marathon or an extended cross county ride is desireable.

Hell, maybe it's snake-oil but it works for me.

Have a bannana...:banana::banana:....or two.
Mmm ... bananas =)

I currently have one banana and one pear each day. The two of them combined give me a good jolt of carbs right there, fo sho. I determined that with my bowl of cereal in the morning, banana, pear, 16 oz of Gatoraide and the food with my main meals ... that's where I get my 150-200 or so grams of carbs daily.

The nutrition thing is kinda new territory for me. So, like I always am with this kind of thing, I'm diving into it head first and getting obsessed. :P My first reaction is usually to think "Man ... how the hell am I going to keep track of all this?" but the more I learn the more common sense it is. :)

[Trevize1138]

Check out this article posted on CNN.com today:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/04/19/post.workout.meal.ap/index.html

Personally, I eat more carbs than you can shake a stick at, i.e. cereal, fruit, and lots of PB sandwiches! I'm getting older though, so "riding off" the extra calories is getting harder. But I do eat Sherbet instead of ice cream (that's my secret!).How old are ya, Dan? :)

I think I said this in the "Dieting, baby!" thread, but I decided to start counting calories and all that 'cause at 31 I kind of need to. Back in HS I was in Cross Country and Track and ate like a horse. It didn't matter if I went over my calorie or carb intake 'cause it would get burned off by running or growing. When I was in my early '20s the extra calories went toward replacing boy muscle with man muscle. Since then, extra calories go right into that old spare tire ;).

Therefore, it didn't matter if I worked out like crazy, by sticking to my old eating habits I could still gain fat. Stupid middle age!

[Brick]

Mmm ... bananas =)
The nutrition thing is kinda new territory for me. So, like I always am with this kind of thing, I'm diving into it head first and getting obsessed. :P My first reaction is usually to think "Man ... how the hell am I going to keep track of all this?" but the more I learn the more common sense it is. :) Yup....been there...done that.....the thing is, at our level, micro-managing intake doesn't yield the same outcomes as it does to someone at the top of the sport. Stick to the basics. It can sometimes be hard enough to stick to even that.

Isn't there a school of thought that says, "as long as you keep expanding, you'll never wrinkle"?

[ole bul]

some carbohydrates entere the bloodstream more quickly than others, producing an elevated sugar level (as well as the negative consequences, which associated with such a response)...one thing to be ware of is eating carbs with a low Glycemic % (see a glycemic index...) apples, black beans, grapes, oranges, pears, pasta,etc)

joe friehl recommends having a diet that's 50 % carbs during a race period; during a base period it's 40 %.